Goodbye, For Now
by bluejay
Summary: The only constant in life is change; a change of wants, a change of needs, and a change of loyalty.


Notes: My response to all the evil!Kaldur fics I see floating around. I'm sticking with my belief that FFnet is for fanfics, so I wrote this instead of a rant or review or blog post.

Notes2: I wrote this without having watched "Depths" so mistakes are mine.

Notes3: Cover image used is cropped from a screencap from youngjusticecaps. tumblr. com

* * *

It is a day that she would have liked: the ocean was quiet, the breeze cool on his skin, and the air sweet in the lungs. Tula loved the stillness of the surface world - all at once exotic from life in the ocean and peaceful from the many stresses of the world.

It is a fitting day for Tula's final farewell.

Kaldur dropped his head as he silently offered prayers for his first love. He remembered her bright eyes and graceful figure, her voice so full of life. And he remembered her passion - for her studies, for doing what is right. Her courage was inspiring.

But in the end, it was her passion that killed her.

_"Justice League heroes. So predictable. So easy to manipulate. Luring all of you into a trap is like stealing sweets from an infant."_

_"We know about your ploy, Black Manta."_

_"Do you really?"_

_"Yes. We have teams to stop your army from invading Atlantis. And we have another team to protect Queen Mera and the Crown Prince."_

_"Is that all? You seem to have forgotten something, young hero. Something hidden in the Academy of Sorcery."_

_"No..."_

Nightwing's voice brought him out of his thoughts but he ignored it. It had been four days since Black Manta attempted to infiltrate the Academy of Sorcery but was stopped by a small group of students, one of them being Aquagirl, Tula.

None of the students had enough combat training outside of their sorcery, and Black Manta's men knew to exploit that. But the villain had to be stopped, and with Kaldur occupied with the fight on the other side of the city, it fell to Nightwing to 'deputize' the students and somehow give them back-up.

Kaldur was still debating on whether to blame Nightwing or himself for the death of Tula.

_"Enough of that. I lured you here so I could talk to you, Kaldur'ahm."_

_"I have nothing to say for the likes of you."_

_"Oh? Then answer me honestly: have you ever wondered why is it that you don't look anything at all like your father, Cal Durham?"_

_"What-what are you saying?"_

_"I am saying," a heavy hand on his shoulder that he didn't have the strength to knock off, "your whole life...is a lie."_

"This isn't supposed to happen." Kaldur murmured more to himself than to his companion. "None of this is."

"It's not your fault, Kaldur," Nightwing said soothingly, "we can't always predict what's going to happen-"

"No, no. Listen," He cut off the other's words with a slash of his hand. "We have been soldiers for too long, following the commands of the Justice League."

"Sure, I mean, it's part of the conditions for letting us form the team in the first place."

"Not like this! Rob- Nightwing, I need you to listen. Don't interrupt."

The young teen nodded in compliance, all serious.

Kaldur took a deep breath of ocean-salted air. "I need you to take the reins of the team."

Nightwing's eyes widened.

"Where I am going, none of you may follow." He turned his head to look at the ocean and its serene waves. He couldn't bear to see the expression on his companion's face as he defended his decision, his apparent abandonment. "The Light knows too much about us, about the League. Always we have been one step behind them. But not this time." Kaldur curled his hand into a fist, seeing in his mind's eye the image of Tula writhing in agony as the poisoned water ate at her insides. The image starred in his nightmares for days. "This time, we need to step up our game. We need to find out what they are planning before it comes to fruition."

"Kaldur, a-are you saying what I think you're saying?" Nightwing asked, taking a step back from surprise and worry.

"How many more of our friends will die before they are stopped?" He asked his companion bitterly. "They had taken Roy. They took over the League. And they killed Tula!"

"Kal, it's not-"

"No. I will not see any more of my loved ones die. And you cannot change my decision."

"But, Kaldur..." He gave the younger teen a pointed stare, letting him see the determination in his eyes. His mind had been made up. He had to stop the Light at the source before they give more final farewells to loved ones.

Nightwing sighed and nodded. "Okay, A.L. I don't like it but," the young teen gave an encouraging smile, "call if you need help. That is, if you can call."

Kaldur accepted the younger teen's support with a smile of his own. "I will, my friend. I leave the team in your hands. Do well by them."

_"...your whole life...is a lie."_

He turned his back on his companion and dove into the serene ocean. Black Manta had told him that he was not who he thought he was. And he had to find out the truth.


End file.
